Neither KEF LS50 Mini Monitor nor Klipsch RP-150M were recommended by experts this month
On 3 Jan 2025 (4 days ago) we went through 77 Speakers expert endorsements , however neither KEF LS50 Mini Monitor nor Klipsch RP-150M were included in any of those recommendations. Since neither Speakers received a single endorsement, as far as expert recommendations go, it's technically a tie. We do, however, recommend taking a look at Kef LS50 or other critically acclaimed Bookshelf Speakers of this month.
For reference, Kef LS50 received 5 endorsements this month, from ZD Net (13 Feb 2023), T3 (12 Nov 2024) Gear Patrol (16 Jul 2024) and 2 others.
Rank | Change | Price | Speakers | SoundGuys | ZD Net | Pitchfork | Wirecutter | T3 | Gear Patrol | Rolling Stone | The Master Switch | What Hi-Fi | hifioasis.com |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | - | $1000 | Kef LS50 The Kef LS50 bookshelf speakers are highly recommended for their exceptional sound quality, versatile frequency response, unique design, and range of connectivity options, making them suitable for a range of music genres and listening environments. | - | 4 | - | - | 7 | 3 | - | 3 | 1 | - |
N/A | N/A | Check price | KEF LS50 Mini Monitor | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
N/A | N/A | $260 | Klipsch RP-150M | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Curious to see this month's entire Bookshelf Speakers ranking? It's here
Rank | Change | Price | Speakers | SoundGuys | ZD Net | Pitchfork | Wirecutter | T3 | Gear Patrol | Rolling Stone | The Master Switch | What Hi-Fi | hifioasis.com |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | - | $1000 | Kef LS50 The Kef LS50 bookshelf speakers are highly recommended for their exceptional sound quality, versatile frequency response, unique design, and range of connectivity options, making them suitable for a range of music genres and listening environments. | - | 4 | - | - | 7 | 3 | - | 3 | 1 | - |
2 | - | Check price | Q Acoustics 3020i The Q Acoustics 3020i bookshelf speakers offer excellent sound quality, versatility, and a modern design, making them a great option for audiophiles who prioritize accuracy and transparency in their sound system. | - | - | 7 | 2 | - | 8 | - | 4 | - | 5 |
3 | - | $700 | Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 The Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 bookshelf speakers offer clear and balanced sound quality, versatile connectivity options, and a sleek design, making them a great choice for general listening purposes in medium-sized rooms and larger spaces. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
4 | - | $400 | Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 The Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 bookshelf speaker offers clear and balanced sound quality with a sleek design and good connectivity options, making it a great choice for home theater and music playback on a modest budget. | 2 | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | 7 | - | - |
Show all rows |
Expert reviews [7]
- with a score: 1
- without a score: 6
Highest score by Sound Vision Review | 93 |
Average score based on 7 reviews | 93 |
Lowest score by Sound Vision Review | 93 |
Score distribution:
80-100 | |
60-80 | |
40-60 | |
20-40 | |
0-20 |
- One of the aesthetically pleasing bookshelves
- Build quality is fantastic.
- Resolution. Itâs easy to hear the textural cues and micro-dynamics in a recording.
- Coherence. Outlines arenât clean, thereâs a bit of midrange haze, and delineation has more grain. It doesnât quite layer out and combine the elements as smoothly.
- A bit thin. Doesnât have that weight and tangibility in the vocals and instrumentation.
Expert reviews [4]
- with a score: 1
- without a score: 3
Highest score by Sound and Vision | 90 |
Average score based on 4 reviews | 90 |
Lowest score by Sound and Vision | 90 |
Score distribution:
80-100 | |
60-80 | |
40-60 | |
20-40 | |
0-20 |
- very affordable
- accuracy and crisp sound alongside the dynamics produces almost impossible to find
- absolutely gorgeous
- itâs rather small
- $350-450, this speaker is more expensive than the other
- The LS50 radiates an extremely large listening sweet spot and delivers a remarkably fast, clean, and expansive sound with its Uni-Q driver array.
- The construction of the LS50's cabinets plays a big part in their sound. From baffle shaping and port design, the LS50 reproduces your audio completely flat and unaltered.
- Read more
- 1" Linear Travel Suspension Titanium Tweeter
- 5.25" Spun Copper Cerametallic Cone Woofer
- 90x90 Hybrid Tractrix Horn
- All New Tractrix Port
- MDF Cabinet with Brushed Polymer Veneer Baffle Finish
- Read more
Tweeters produce the highest frequencies in sound, typically anything above 2,000 Hz. Usually located at the top of the speaker, tweeters come in different shapes (detailed below) and sizes. Generally speaking, the size of the tweeter is not as important as the shape. But, for some guidance, consider that a larger tweeter (measured by diameter in inches or millimeters) will likely be louder and able to disperse sound over a larger area.
Speakers with midrange drivers (i.e., at least three-way speakers) have a distinct advantage over two-way speakers. Adding a midrange driver to the mix allows tweeters and woofers to focus on the sound waves theyâre best equipped to produceâhigh tones and low tones respectively. More specific and focused drivers means more accurate, robust sound. Compared to the other drivers, midranges cover sounds, not surprisingly, in the middle of high/treble and low/bass tones. The human voice and most instruments fall into this range. For more sophisticated listeners, or for those who truly want the best sound reproduction, a midrange driver is crucial.
The woofer is the driver that is responsible for low frequency sounds and bass - crucial for well-rounded, booming sound. It is the biggest driver in size, and is usually shaped like a cone. When reviewing different bookshelf speakers, you will often see a measurement in the product name, starting as low as 4â and ranging to 6 ½â or more. This measurement refers to the diameter of the woofer. A general rule of thumb is a bigger woofer means louder, more powerful bass. But, as with any speaker metric, this number alone doesnât describe the loudness of the speaker and should be taken into consideration with other measurements such as sensitivity, which describes the loudness of a speaker per watt.
- 2 m Powe Cord
- 3 m Cat-6 Inter-Speaker Cable
- 2 m USB Cable
- 1 m LAN Cable
- Plug and Play
- Remote Control included